Mercedes and Ferrari in 'secret' Pirelli tyre tests

[Fenderman]

As sushifiesta, rightly recalls, the muddyness of the whole affair comes from the dispensation given to Pirelli to carry out tyre tests on the proviso that these are organised and run by Pirelli for their purposes. The lack of a properly defined set of regulations with regard to these tests is the reason for the conflict with the clearly defined rules with regard to development testing in general.

The tribunal is hearing charges against both Mercedes and Pirelli. Therefore the key question for the IT to resolve first is whether or not the transgression was a clear breach of the apparently loose agreement between Pirelli and the FIA. So far the inference is that Pirelli has not met its obligations in the way it prepared for and organised the test.

Meanwhile, the veracity of complaints against Mercedes rest on the issue of whether or not the team took advantage of the test to carry out what was in effect car development testing. So until the evidence has been tested at the tribunal everything else is speculation as usual. Whilst the speculation is justifiable the vilification of the parties involved is not. At least not yet anyway.

Edit: It would be nice to get our hands on that particular item, Blog Zbod It would be handy to know if that pertains to the original rules or to the later agreement and how exactly it is worded.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Pirelli have said they did test this years tyres, 90% of the tyres where for next years and 10% were for this years.

Though it was unclear whether 'this year's tyres' referred to the kevlar-banded ones that Pirelli were keen to introduce, which have now been dropped. I got the impression Pirelli wanted to test the proposed tyres, not the ones currently in use, which would have meant that 10% of the test would'nt have been much use to Mercedes.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Roll on June 20th so we know where we stand and we can all stop speculating, not that I believe the argument will end there, far from it, some will say that if found guilty they shouldn't have been, and if found not guilty they should have been found guilty, some will say the penalty is too harsh, others will say it is too lenient, with the odd conspiracy theory thrown in for good measure.

Plenty of weeks of fun to come then, it should see us through the summer break at least, so good times.....

 

[The Artist.....]

Mephistopheles .... it'll be more than weeks... People still roll out spygate when they want to discuss conspiracies in F1... That's 6 years later!

 

[Incubus]

Blog Zbod Is the signed agreement supposed to be a confidential document? Well by definition I would think so but in that case someone must have leaked it to the paper, right?

 

[KekeTheKing]

this issue has turned into blame the accuser and not the wrongdoer and you are also correct about the demographic touting it.

Have you completely disregarded the last 2 pages of posts strenuously denying this inflammatory claim? And if so, why even bother posting here if you hold such a jaded view of many of the members?

 

[Mephistopheles]

I call it as I see it...

 

[racecub]

What I find hard to get my head round, is why the FIA have rules in place that say teams can't test in a current car but the tyre supplier can test in a current car. Can they not see that this ridiculous situation is bound to end in exactly the situation we now have?

 

[FB]

Guys - chill out, it's just sport. The FIA will make a decision and we will have to live with it, good or bad, but bad mouthing each other isn't going to get anyone anywhere.

Cheers

FB

 

[Dario Resta]

Guys - chill out, it's just sport. The FIA will make a decision and we will have to live with it, good or bad, but bad mouthing each other isn't going to get anyone anywhere.

Cheers

FB

Hmm,

I liked this forum - going off it now. I haven't posted much recently, but some of the posts on this subject leave a bad taste. I thought the people on here were enthusiasts, not the usual trolls. Good job Schumacher retired - otherwise this would all be his fault.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Seems as though Charlie W has finally steered one too many teams down the wrong path.

Auto Motor und Sport reports rumours that FIA president Jean Todt is moving to replace race director Charlie Whiting - who supposedly told Brawn the highly controversial Barcelona test would be in compliance - with Giorgio Ascanelli.

Italian Ascanelli is a highly experienced F1 engineer who most recently was Toro Rosso's technical director.

If your word in the paddock cannot be trusted, and the general consensus from the public is that you've been irrelevant for years, then what purpose are you serving? Apparently it will be absolutely none soon.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Hmm,

I liked this forum - going off it now. I haven't posted much recently, but some of the posts on this subject leave a bad taste. I thought the people on here were enthusiasts, not the usual trolls. Good job Schumacher retired - otherwise this would all be his fault.

Should everyone be condemning Mercedes before the "Tribunal" runs its course?

 

[Dario Resta]

Seems as though Charlie W has finally steered one too many teams down the wrong path.



If your word in the paddock cannot be trusted, and the general consensus from the public is that you've been irrelevant for years, then what purpose are you serving? Apparently it will be absolutely none soon.

Charlie has previous on this kind of cock up. Why isn't he held to account for his "advice", and why do teams still listen to him? Either he has the FIA's mandate to pass judgement on the rules or he doesn't. If he doesn't, why don't the FIA shut him up?

 

[Dario Resta]

Should everyone be condemning Mercedes before the "Tribunal" runs its course?

Of course not. For some, the fact that Ross Brawn is involved means that Mercedes are bang to rights, just as any involvement by Schumacher, Hamilton, insert your least favourite driver's name here, means they're guilty.

I hope Merc and Pirelli stick one up the FIA and prove they did nothing wrong, in the hope that this sort of situation doesn't happen again. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Dario Resta]

Mercedes did not comply with the strict requirements for the test.

Mercedes are at fault.

Isn't that a bit judge and jury? Why don't you tell the FIA that for a couple of hundred quid in your back pocket you can save them a whole lot of unnecessary expense, and lower their carbon footprint even further? I'm sure they come on here anyway.

Actually, that means they're getting free advice......

Guilty, nothing to see here.

 

[Brogan]

It's called an opinion.

The same thing you and everyone else is exhibiting in this thread.

 

[KekeTheKing]

One thing I'm very interested in is how this test session was "exposed". I was very skeptical that Rosberg flatly told Vettel about it, and Mercedes have since denied this conversation ever occurred.

This should be a very basic thing to uncover, yet it's completely shrouded in mystery.

If (like me) you believe that key people throughout F1 knew this test occurred, it becomes understandable why nobody really wants to discuss the origins of this story. (I.e. - It was never "secret")

 

[Mephistopheles]

It's called an opinion.

The same thing you and everyone else is exhibiting in this thread.

And some of us (Me in particular.) are called morons for having one.

Edit.

Not by you bro I stress to add...

 

[Mephistopheles]

KekeTheKing If it wasn't a secret how come we never knew about it until Monaco? We all knew about the Ferrari test before it happened, I can only assume that the Ferrari test wasn't a secret and the Merc test was Ferrari didn't use their race drivers or a currant car and Merc did they even made their drivers wear anonymous helmets and yet this all seems above board and correct to you....

I wonder what you would be saying if it were Red Bull instead of Merc under the spotlight....

 

[Mephistopheles]

It has very little to do with any "opinion" you may have expressed in this thread. And as for that "opinion", it was nothing more than a regurgitation of a sentiment espoused by another member that was thoroughly debunked before you decided to re-hash it.

You've proved time and time again Meph that morons can also have opinions, so what's your point?

I agreed with just one part of that posters text not his philosophy or his opinions in general...

You don't like me that's fine I haven't got a problem with that all you have to do is press the ignore button and then you won't have to read my opinions will you...